


The Storm

by Braggsticks



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Mermen, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-10
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 05:57:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1293874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Braggsticks/pseuds/Braggsticks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jack scouts the water’s surface every day to make sure it is safe for him and his friends to remain where they are, but one day it changes when dark clouds are on the horizon. (SHORT FIC)</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Storm

_Blue skies.  
_          _White clouds._  
                  Wait…are those white?  
 _Grey clouds._  
 _The storm is coming._

Jack turned away from his place of wading, hazel eyes breaking from the filtered view of the skies above while a dark green tail of shimmering scales propelled him to move deeper into the watery blues. His large hands were outstretched in front of him to catch upon pieces of coral to help send him quicker and faster below, moving with a speed that shamed even the fastest of dolphins. The gills alongside his neck worked in a steady pace that matched the beats of his heart; he was all too calm for what he knew was in store for the reefs below.

_Have to tell Geoff._  
 _Have to move deeper._  
 _How fast were the clouds moving…?_  
 _There was enough time._  
 _The storm is coming._

Jack was closer to where the others would be and it wasn’t because he could hear them, but because the water was beginning to prickle against his skin and send chills down his spine. It normally never bothered him and it wouldn’t in a matter of seconds, but he had spent most of his day above the normal levels by which they all swam at. He’d spent his day doing what he was sent to normally do: Scout the water’s surface without ever breaking it. Scout to be sure the storm wasn’t coming closer.

 _The time has come._  
         _We’re no longer safe._  
 _Where will we go now?_  
 _Somewhere safe._  
 _The storm is coming._

Jack was even closer now; the water a dark and deep blue that would put humans in the blind, but not to him or his friends. His eyes took a moment, but everything was clear and vibrant in colors as he sped along; fish scattering and hiding from the large fishtailed man. He didn’t pay mind to any of them though, none mattered in this moment. and none would to be honest. Jack was a guardian of the creatures to the sea yes, but not to these ones. Not to the ones who didn’t have faces by which were given names. Faces that looked human, but weren’t.

 _Almost to them now._  
        _Should see the cave entrance soon._  
 _What if they aren’t there?_  
 _They’re always there._  
 _The storm is coming._

The Merman was almost there now as he pressed his arms to his sides, launching himself with the flick of his tail to stream quickly towards the mouth of a cave that was just beyond the coral. Jack’s arms moved out in front of him to let hands part the seaweed which blocked the cave’s path. His massive build made it more difficult for him to press through as the hole only seemed to grow smaller around him, but he used his hands to grab at the rocky walls around him so that he was pulling himself through. He broke past a cluster of slimy greens to a wide opened cavern that had ship ruins nestled at the bottom from humans who thought it wise to enter the upper mouth of the cave to find safety.

 _Must find the others._  
        _No time to waste._  
 _Where could they be?_  
 _Running out of time._  
 _The storm is coming._

Jack floated there in his spot for a moment with hazel eyes once more searching out his surroundings, trying to find and sense the movements of his friends. There was a shift just below him and the large Merman folded over with a kick of his tail that had him diving down; as he neared the largest of the sunken vessels he heard the all too familiar laugh of his longest friend break through the waters. Jack swam around the wooden body and to a large hole which had caused the boat’s demise, swimming past a manatee that slept soundlessly and into the open area.

 **"Jack’s back!** _”_  
      "Bloody well took ‘im long enough."  
 **“Nah. He’s been gone longer before, right?”  
** **“He’s doing his damn job unlike you guys.”  
** **“Hey! I did my job!”**

 Hazel eyes flicked over the group as they took turns in speaking; the first who had spoke was Ray, the smallest of the Mermen with a tail as red as blood and giving no glimmer of shine like Jack’s. After him had been Gavin—who spoke of a different tongue when first found by Geoff—with a tail that was the darkest of purple to stand against his tanned humanoid skin. Ryan had been the one to give a response to Gavin with a tail that matched the darkest blues of the ocean, shimmering in change when it struck light. Geoff, bitter but sweet, had barked with a protective voice over his friend with a flick of his disgruntled and off colored olive tail. His bark only getting a shout back from the brightest colored of the group, Michael, orange tail twitching with his pent up anger.

 **"All of you just be quiet."**  
       **“I was defending myself!”**  
 **“Would you be quiet, mate?”**  
 **”Gavin, Michael. Let Jack talk.”**  
 **“They’ll stop soon, Ryan.”**

Jack swam further into the boat as they bickered between themselves and he went straight towards the oldest of the creatures who seemed ready to shout out at the two who were glaring hard at one another in their close space of tail’s curled around each other and forms brushing. They held a relationship, a friendship, unlike Jack and Geoff’s which still confused the man even after years of watching them grow up together. Geoff didn’t have to say anything though because Gavin was head-butting Michael’s forehead with his own and the other Merman simply folded his arms, keeping his own there with a small frown. Jack turned back to Geoff.

 **"Now that everyone is calm. Jack."**  
       **“I saw something when at the surface waves.”**  
 **“Why do I feel it isn’t good news?”**  
 **”Dark clouds are coming with the North winds. Geoff—”**  
 **“The storm is coming.”**

There was a silence that fell upon the small group and already Jack could hear their thoughts without them being spoken. Thoughts that usually stayed well hidden behind false smiles and jokes. Thoughts that they never dared speak about, but knew could never be forgotten. The dark mass, the swirling clouds, the _storm_ was nearing again and they would have to flee once more or…

 **"Ryan, you know what needs to be done."**  
       **“Geoff….we really shouldn’t—”**  
 **“Are you questioning me?”**  
 **“Yes. I am. We don’t have to—”**  
 **“The storm is coming, Ryan. It’s time to go.”**  
  
Silence befell the group and the Merman with scars all along his arms moved himself closer to Jack. There was a pause then his hand was giving his shoulder a soft pat and a squeeze that said more than words ever could. He stared into the blues of his friend then gave a subtle nod before Geoff could fully move around him and to the hole of the ship; a purple tailed lad following quickly after. Jack glanced to Ryan, but the elder was cooing softly to the youngling wrapped around him by his tail and arms.

 **"You said you’d never leave me."**  
        **“I’m not leaving forever, Ray. Just for a little while.”**  
 **”How do you know for sure?”**  
 **“I’ve looked over you for years…I’m not about to stop.”**  
 **“Promise me you’ll come back.”**

Ryan gave no response to that and instead chose to press his lips to the top of Ray’s head; blue eyes flicking to Jack as he held the younger to his chest tightly. Ryan’s gills seemed to hitch a bit with their intake before he let go of Ray and quickly swished his tail to dart away and straight past the sleeping manatee. It lifted its head and let out a noise, but Ray glided over to pet it with a soft hum reverberating from his throat. Jack turned back to where Michael was left by Gavin, but the usual redfaced Merman was looking at him.

 **"I wanted to say thank you."**  
        **“You don’t need to thank me.”**  
 **“You looked out for me, so don’t I?”**  
 **“No. You never did and never well.”**  
 **“…Just look out for Gavin and Ray while I’m gone.”**  
  
With that last sentence the younger quickly darted away from Jack; he paused at Ray and held his hand out for the other to take and squeeze gently before he swam away. Jack moved a bit slower with a sinking heart; he didn’t think Geoff would take this way out. Sure they’ve talked about it. Discussed the three staying behind to give the others time because last time…last time there had been no one to stop the claws of the beast from taking Caleb and Kerry. The Merman moved to the hole and past Ray who followed after him so they could float a little ways off from Gavin, Geoff, and Michael. Geoff was resting a hand on Gavin’s head, speaking to him gently.

 **"Hey, wipe that look off you face."**  
         **“I can’t help it….you’re both leaving.”**  
 **“Do you know why we are?”**  
 **“To keep the darkness back while we escape.”**  
 **“And when you do…we’ll come find you.”**

Geoff reeled the accented creature in so he could hug him and Jack frowned at the sight. He didn’t understand why Geoff felt the need to go instead. Jack had been trained as a Guardian when they were still a colony; still a large amount them. He was trained for this just as Ryan was. Geoff…Geoff had been a Nurturer with his wife and it was why he had easily taken Gavin under his wing to care for when his own colony had been swallowed by the storm. So when Gavin swam to the arms of Michael, Jack went to Geoff.

 **"This isn’t right. You should flee with Ray and Gavin."**  
           **”No, I shouldn’t.”**  
 **“I am a Guardian, shouldn’t I go?”**  
 **”It is why you must stay, Jack.”**  
 **"You’ll die, Geoff."**

Geoff smiled sadly at him and gave him a wink before turning quick to speed off towards where Ryan waited by the cave entrance. Hazel eyes turned to the two just a ways off, wrapped up in each other like they always were. Fins twisted, arms hugging, but this time there was no space as Michael hugged Gavin tight to him, rubbing a hand along his back. Gavin had his head resting on his shoulder with eyes closed and gills slowly suckling air in.

 **"It’ll be okay, Gav. You’ll see."**  
         **“You don’t know that.”**  
 **“But I do…do you know why?”**  
 **“I won’t believe anything you say.”**  
 **“Because I have to come back to my best friend.”**

Gavin’s arms hugged to Michael tighter and he turned his head at those words to lift it so he could look at the other, but the orange finned Merman leaned in to bump his forehead against his friend’s. There was a long silence between them before Gavin did it right back to him. Michael smiled softly then slipped his arms away to float towards the other two. Jack watched him go then turned to Gavin who was now floating with the arm of Ray around his waist and manatee bumping his purple tail.

 **"We have to go now, guys. No time left."**  
           **“We know, Jack…we just don’t want to.”**  
 **“Wot if we never see ‘em again?”**  
 **”They’re the most stubborn Mermen I know. They’ll come back.”**  
 **“You don’t have to lie to us, Jack. Gav and I know the truth.”**

_——————————————_

_Blue skies._  
      _White clouds._  
 _Wait….are those white?_  
 _White clouds._  
 _The storm isn’t coming._

Jack turned away from the surface and slowly made his way further into the depths of the sea; green tail flicking to move him at a pace he found to be more calming than the waves above. He was slipping further and further down to the reefs below; the belly of the ocean where two young Mermen lied curled up with a manatee too dumb to understand his master wasn’t returning. He floated past fish and they gave no regard to the once Guardian; a Merman who was once looked at as a great warrior was nothing more than another creature who floated past. His arms remained at his sides and they didn’t move until he was by the younglings; reaching a hand out to pet the head of the animal they rested against.

 **"Good news, Edgar. The storm isn’t coming."**  
              **”………”**  
 **“Makes you wonder if it ever will, huh?”**  
 **“………”**  
 **“Haven’t seen it in months.”**

Edgar cooed a noise then dropped his head back down which caused the two Mermen to wake slowly with drowsy eyes. Ray mewled something out, but when he looked around his eyes seemed to darken and he turned away. Gavin was moving away as he always did when waking, floating far from them to just sit and wait. Wait for the other three to come back to them.

 _They aren’t coming back._  
      _I knew they wouldn’t._  
 _What are we going to do?_  
 _Survive like always._  
 _The storm is never coming back._

Jack turned to Ray, but the Merman was staring off into the distance and had gone rigid. His brown eyes were wide and he looked to be frozen with even breaths before finally making a stir of a noise that had Gavin turned to look behind Jack, in the direction Ray was looking. The two were both frozen there and Jack almost feared to turn, but finally the Guardian did and his heart caught in his throat at the sight of an olive colored fin flickering quickly and out of sync next to a battered blue tail that was propelling the two forward. Above them an orange fin stuck out in the dark as it moved the form attached to it in circles around the other two.

 _Colored fins I would never forget._  
       _Darkened sea that can’t trick my eyes._  
 _Is it even possible to be?_  
 _This is real and this is the truth._  
 _The storm is no longer coming for us._

 **"You kept us waiting."**  
 **“Jack, my friend, you just swim too fast.”**  
 **“Really that’s how you’re going to greet us?”**  
 **“You should really open with something else.”**  
  **"The storm isn't coming."**

* * *

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written for WayWardWatson.


End file.
